BJ , je compte partir ( seul ou à deux ) avec mon vélo de grande randonnée pour Cuba, y rester environ 8 semaines maximum, j aimerais avoir 3 conseils principaux:: la meilleure période avec de bonnes conditions climatiques mais peu de touristes 🏴☠️ , y a t il un vent dominant par effectuer ce voyage dans le bon sens ( tour de l ile ) 😏, la meilleure façon de procéder pour les réservations des casa ( pour hébergement ) , d avance merci à tous et toutes pour vos futures réponses, Gilbert de Sommières ( 30 ) en France .
Je n'ai jamais fait de randonnée vélo à Cuba, mais j'ai croisé beaucoup de cyclistes surtout canadiens et belges.
Une remarque, regardez bien vos distance en fonction des villes ou de trouvent des casas. Entre Vinales et Trinidad vous devez prevoir de retourner à La Havane, par Bejucal il n'y en a pas.
Les meilleurs mois a mon avis Juin et Octobre
Pour les casas ne reservez que pour les premières nuits d'arrivées (novela, cuba linda, arbnb ou particuba) ensuite vous en trouverez sans problemes, faites vous un road book d'adresses en les copiant sur Particuba.net, ou demander à votre propriétaire une adresse pour l'etape suivante, ils ont tous des adresses.
Il y a un itinéraire agréable c'est de prendre un vol pour Santiago (cubana, air caraibes) et de remonter sur La Havane pour son vol retour
Santiago, /guantanamo/Baracoa (étape de montagne)/ Moa/Holguin/Camaguey/ sancti spiritus/ Trinidad/ playa larga / Santa Clara/La Havane/Vinales/La Havane
J'y étais en vélo fin Février-début Mars et j'ai trouvé que c'était une bonne période, sans trop de monde.
Le vent ne nous a pas trop géné donc je n'aurais pas d'avis sur la question.
Pour les casas, réserver les 1eres nuits puis à voir sur place. Attention tout de meme aux villages non touristiques, l'offre peut être faible voir nulle. Mais aucun problem dans les villes.
Tu trouveras des infos utiles si besoin sur mon site: https://les-voyages-a-velo-de-benoit.jimdo.com/a-l-étranger/cuba-2017-route/
J'y ai passé un superbe 8 semaines à l'hiver 2016 à vélo. 2000km de pur bonheur... et de haute chaleur dans l'Oriente et sur la côte longeant la Sierra Maestra jusqu'à Pilon (35 degrés) en particulier. Je suis en train de préparer un autre voyage là pour l'hiver prochain (janvier-février 2018 Holguin - Puerto Padre en remontant la côte est vers Moron puis Remedios - Santa Clara - Topes de Collantes-Cienfuegos - La Havane puis l'ouest jusqu'à Maria La Gorda. Retour vers Pinar del Rio et retour final vers Holguin) pendant 6-7 semaines pour compléter mon tour.
J'avais une boîte à vélo que j'avais laissée à la casa réservée au préalable à Holguin. Il fallait donc que j'y retourne pour mon retour au bercail. J'y avais voyagé 2 semaines avec 2 Allemands rencontrés à Chivirico. Ils transportaient leur housse à vélo. Ils étaient arrivés à Santiago et repartaient depuis La Havane. Ce sera à vous de décider ce que vous voulez faire: laisser vos housses/boîtes à un endroit et y retourner pour votre retour ou transporter vos housses avec vous pendant 8 semaines... en plus de vos bagages.
J'y suis allé de la mi-janvier à la mi-mars. Au total j'ai eu à peine 3 jours de pluie. Grosses averses mais de courtes durées. Il est préférable d'aller d'est en ouest. Ainsi vous profiterez du vent de dos en grande majorité.
Aller là-bas en automne est plus risqué à cause de la saison des ouragans. La région de Baracoa avait été lourdement touchée l'automne dernier par l'ouragan Matthew. Le tout est revenu à la normal ou presque.
Probablement que la période avec le moins de touristes serait au printemps (avril-juin). Pour les casas, comme mentionné par un autre forumniste, vous n'avez qu'à réserver d'avance votre casa pour votre arrivée et votre départ. Je n'avais fait aucune réservation une fois sur place. Je trouvais une casa une fois arrivé dans une ville. Elle sont identifiées par l'ancre bleue affichée à la porte. 20-30CUC par nuit dépenjdamment de la région où vous êtes. Sinon, les proprios de casas ont tous leur réseau et peuvent faire la réservation de votre prochaine casa pour vous. Si c'est complet quand vous arriverez ils vous en trouveront une.
Les Cubains sont très aidants et accueillants. Surtout, ils sont respectueux des cyclistes. S'ils vous klaxonnent sur la route c'est tout simplement pour vous avertir de leur présence derrière vous.
Les conditions routières sont très bonnes en général. Horribles entre Moa et Baracoa (voir photo). Plus ou moins bonnes conditions entre Chivirico et Pilon. Les côtes et la chaleur dans cette dernière région valent la souffrance quand on regarde la beauté des paysages. Je vous mets une photo pour vous faire rêver. Je vous suggère fortement de faire cette région. Baracoa est fortement recommandéee. Apparemment c'est assez cahoteux dans la région de Viñales. Je découvrirai cela l'hiver prochain probablement.
Je vous mets l'itinéraire que j'ai fait et si vous désirez plus d'infos, n'hésitez pas à me contacter.
Holguin - Mayari-Moa-Baracoa-Imias-Guantanamo- Santiago-Chivirico-La Mula (camping avec cabines)-Pilon- Media Luna- Manzanillo-Bayamo - autobus jusqu'à Camaguey-Ciego de Avila-Sancti Spiritus-Trinidad-Cienfuegos- Playa Giron (Baie des Cochons)- Jaguey Grande-Varadero-Matanzas- Jibacoa-La Havane- autobus jusqu'à Santa Clara - Remedios- Moron - Train pour Ciego de Avila (une expérience!) - Autobus pour Holguin.
Il est important que vous ayiez vos outils et pièces de rechange avec vous. Il n'y a rien à Cuba.... ou presque. Tube, pneu, câbles à freins, kit de patch pour les crevaisons, etc. Dans tous les villages et villes il y a des "poncheros", réparateurs de vélos. Si vous avez la chance, assistez à la manière dont ils réparent les crevaisons. J'ai laissé certaines pièces et outils au "ponchero" près de la casa où je restais à Holguin. Il était super heureux.
Bj et merci pour ta réponse, après réflexion et lecture je vais reporter la date de départ vers mi avril 2018 , cela sera + approprié ( moins de touristes et moins chaud ), pour l itinéraire je ne sais encore pas donc à voir . Merci et à bientôt Gilbert.
Bj et merci à toi pour toutes ses informations donnée, je vais décaler le départ et ce sera pour mi avril je pense , moins de touristes et temps plus clément, pour les Casas j ai compris pas la peine de réserver à l' avance sauf la première fois. Pour le circuit vélo à établir :: soit le tour de l ile avec un départ / arrivée à la Havane, soit d 'est en ouest avec arrivée à Santiago et retour de la Havane ?? , le tout en traversant certaine fois le centre. Petite question avec quel type de vélo tu as randonné, pour ma part j ai une randonneuse la plus simple possible ( frein break, pas de suspensions, cadre acier , pneu Schwalb renforcés ). je regarderais avec attention ton parcours cela me donnera des idées, Grand merci Gilbert.
J'ai un vélo de route type touring 27 vitesses, 32 rayons, sans suspension, freins ordinaires. J'avais changé mes pneus de route 28 pour des Vittoria renforcés 32 pour le voyage. J'avais un pneu et un tube de réserve. Je touche du bois. Je n'ai eu aucune crevaison. Seulement un rayon de brisé. Ah oui, j'avais amené avec moi 3 rayons de réserve. Ton vélo fera l'affaire.
Je te mets une photo due mon vélo prise entre Imias et Guantanamo. Section faite jusqu'à Santiago avec 2 Belges rencontrés à la casa à Moa.
Si tu veux d'autres infos et/ou adresses de casas, ne te gêne pas.
Bj , nos vélos utilisés sont dans le standard de la simplicité, fixé au haubans inférieurs j ai 3 rayons de secours, le reste et presque à l'identique, tu es ultra rapide dans le dialogue et tes reponses, merci et à bientôt, Gilbert.😊
Hi there, I’m planning a cross-Canada bike trip, and I’ve got a question that might seem silly, but could someone tell me how to pack a bike (in a box, with a fragile sticker... I don’t know) for a flight? Thanks in advance!
This summer, we’re planning to cycle along the EV 19 that follows the Meuse River from Langres all the way to Rotterdam.
My question is about getting back to Nantes.
Do any of you know what the best return option might be? I’d love to hear about your experiences.
I saw that FlixBus doesn’t take bikes.
By train, I think it’s possible but would involve multiple local trains.
We were also wondering if there’s a boat from Rotterdam to Saint-Nazaire that could take passengers with bikes.
Any tips or experiences you can share would be really helpful—thanks in advance!
Have a great evening
I’ve got my flight ticket sorted—departing in mid-November and returning in mid-March. I’ll arrive in Santiago and leave from Buenos Aires.
I’ve already been to southern Argentina, specifically Torres del Paine National Park, and I’d love to go back to do the full W trek (I only did the shorter version last time).
I also want to do some hiking and maybe even tackle a summit. I climb and occasionally do some mountaineering, so I’ll definitely be going with a guide.
I plan to start around Temuco in Chile, with the idea of heading toward the lakes, then taking the Carretera Austral.
I’m not sure if I’ll go all the way to Ushuaia—it’s supposed to not be *that* worth it, except for the bragging rights of saying you’ve been to the end of the world.
I saw there are lakes in Argentina too.
I don’t have a precise itinerary, but what I’d love is, once I reach the southernmost point of my trip, to take a mini-cruise to see some wildlife. Any tips for that?
What kind of sleeping bag did you take? Is a 0°C (32°F) one enough?
And one last question: white gas stove or can I get by with my gas stove?
I’ve gotten used to crossing Europe by bus to return by bike.
It was really convenient to take the bike without having to disassemble it.
But FlixBus no longer accepts bikes...
What alternatives do you know about?
Thanks.
Hi there,
I’m planning to ride the Dutch section of the EuroVelo 19, from Maastricht to Rotterdam.
Since it’s too complicated to bring my bike on the train, I’m looking to rent one locally.
I’d love any tips or bike rental shop recommendations—I’m struggling to find options even in Rotterdam.
The plan is to rent in Rotterdam, take the train to Maastricht with the bike, then cycle back to Rotterdam.
Thanks in advance for any advice or suggestions!
Nath
I’m planning to cycle from Morlaix to Brest (via Roscoff and the V45 coastal route). We’ll start riding on August 16th for 13 days (with stops for island visits, surfing, etc.). Is there a lot of traffic at this time of year? I’ve got two kids, 11 and 13, and we don’t like riding in the middle of cars (we’ve already done the Vélomaritime—Caen to Cherbourg—the Loire route from Orléans to Saumur, the Vélodyssée from Nantes to Royans, and the canals like the Nivernais and Bourgogne, where there were plenty of bike-only lanes, which isn’t the case on this route).
Thanks for your help if you’ve already done this route in late August!
Virginie
Hi there,
I’ve been road cycling for several years, and I’m about to switch to gravel in the next few days—I’m waiting for my bike, which should arrive this week.
I’m planning a bikepacking trip in a few weeks along the Véloroute V81, also known as the Vélosud, from Biarritz to Le Barcarès.
Has anyone here already done this route? Any info is welcome, whether it’s about the route itself, gear, or accommodation. I’ll prioritize staying with locals as much as possible. On that note, I just signed up for the brand-new site *Guidon et Couette* ((www.guidon-et-couette.fr)), which offers free accommodation between cyclists across the country, but there’s almost no one listed along my route!
Thanks in advance.
Laurent.
I’m planning to build a new touring bike.
I want to prioritize lightness.
That said, I’m tempted by a suspension fork that could offer some comfort on rougher roads.
The recent appearance of gravel suspension forks on the market might meet my needs—at least on paper.
I’m particularly considering the RockShox Rudy Ultimate XPLR fork.
Unlike MTB forks, its travel is short: either 30 mm or 40 mm.
It weighs 1400 g, which is 400/500 g more than a steel fork.
Any thoughts or real-world feedback on this?
I’m also wondering about the durability of magnesium (lower leg) for long-distance bike touring.
And what’s the impact of skipping the manufacturer-recommended maintenance every 50 and 200 hours? That’s bound to happen on a long trip unless you carry extra gear.
More generally, how reliable are these kinds of forks?
Hi everyone,
I wanted to share with you the incredible feat my friend José, who’s 72 years old, is currently undertaking. He left Auterive near Toulouse on Monday, May 18, 2026, on his non-electric bike, heading for the North Cape in Norway!
You can follow his route on the link below—he’s currently in Sweden:
https://thierry-thomas.travelmap.net/jose-de-toulouse-a-nord-cap-2026
You can zoom in on the map and click on each stopover town to see the photos
I’m making an exception and creating a separate post this time, since it’s all about France. In May, we spent a week in Provence, specifically in the Luberon, exploring the cycling routes *Autour du Luberon à Vélo*, the *Véloroute du Calavon* (part of EuroVelo 8), and the shorter *Les Ocres à Vélo* route. Together, they gave us an amazing journey through rolling hills, vineyards, lavender fields still green in spring, and some of the most stunning landscapes in southern France.
It was, of course, the perched villages that impressed us the most. We visited Gordes, Roussillon, Bonnieux, Lacoste, Lourmarin, Ménerbes, Oppède-le-Vieux, Cucuron, and Lauris. Many of them are among the most beautiful villages in Provence, and it’s hard not to agree with that reputation.
One interesting point is the route of EuroVelo 8 in this part of the region. The official path mainly follows the old railway line of the *Véloroute du Calavon*, which is very comfortable and safe. But in our opinion, cyclists traveling EuroVelo 8 around the Mediterranean would discover even more treasures if the route passed through villages like Bonnieux, Lacoste, or Oppède-le-Vieux.
We were also pleasantly surprised by how safe cycling felt. Most of the route takes small local roads, but traffic is light, drivers are respectful, and road design really takes cyclists into account. It’s one of those places where you can ride peacefully even without separated bike lanes.
Our full story:
Around Luberon by bicycle - the most beautiful villages of Provence
You can also find all our cycling travel stories on the forum:
Cycling Thread - Europe’s most beautiful bike routes
Hi there, we’re a group of 4 cyclists looking to get from Treviso in Italy to Munich with our 4 non-folding bikes. It seems complicated! Are there any solutions? Thanks so much.
hello fellow cycling enthusiasts
here’s a travel journal of the cycling tour through the Rhône-Alpes Auvergne region by Claudio
zouli
it was the plan
http://cbandiera.free.fr/parcours/auvergne-Ralpes/
the trip was completed
story being posted online soon
1100 km in 11 days
beautiful and varied regions
Hi there, we’re planning a Munich to Venice bike trip at the end of June 2026. Getting back from Venice to Toulouse by train with 4 bikes isn’t straightforward. What return options have others who’ve done this trip chosen? Any tips or great deals would be much appreciated. Thanks a bunch! !
Hi everyone,
Happy owner of a Pegasus Estremo bike with a Rohloff hub, which is giving me trouble with the SF11-NCX-FT-E-LITE 700C TS 300/0 fork (serial number TD01329060). It’s starting to show its age, and I’d like to repair it to extend the life of my beloved bike.
The suspension is gone, and there’s an oil leak from the seals.
Does anyone know how to repair it? Where can I find parts that are about fifteen years old? Or where to find an identical replacement fork? Just to clarify, the Magura HS11 brakes are mounted using Firm Tech, meaning they’re on pivots behind the fork, facing the frame.
Hi, I'd like to know if anyone has done this route recently or has reliable info.
Does the track exist, and most importantly, is there sand (for biking)?
Any info is welcome.
Cheers,
diego ambilobe: mangaoka, manondro, ramena
vohemar sambava: masondrono, tanambao
Hi there,
New to bike touring,
I’d love to start with a section of the Via Rhona to explore and share (route to be decided).
Looking forward to exchanging tips!
I’m landing in Madagascar with a buddy before the end of April 2026. We’re planning to bike around for about twenty days or so. We don’t have a specific goal other than exploring the country and meeting the locals.
Ideally, we’d prefer a loop route starting from Antananarivo with a good chunk of it along the coast. On the bike side, we’re used to riding 6 to 8 hours a day, depending on the needs, encounters, and mood 😉 Any feedback or tips from trips around this length?
A big thank you to Lazarou for all the info you share in this forum!
I'm passionate about Morocco, which I cycled through back in 2009.
Last year, my wife and I explored the High Atlas by tandem. Completely smitten, we're heading back in April (Anti Atlas) and May (High and Middle Atlas), still on our tandem.
Do you have any info on the track between Amezri and Ali Ait Nito? Are the river crossings in the Tessaout still there? It's not easy to navigate with a loaded tandem... especially if the river level is high due to this year's heavy snowmelt!
Thanks in advance for any tips you might have, and best wishes for health in this new year!
Claudio specializes in the route of the Savoie lakes
Here are his travels
Between Bornes, Chartreuse, the Savoie foothills, and Dauphiné
Five lakes: Léman, Annecy, Paladru, Aiguebelette, Bourget, not to mention a few ponds along the way
Plenty of accommodation options: camping, hotels, and more...
A lovely route not far from his place
Rural and quite peaceful
A road cycling route created by Serge B...
First of all... happy New Year! Wishing you great roads in 2017!
I’ve been traveling for a few years now with a high-quality mountain bike, but it’s equipped with hydraulic disc brakes. I live (pedal) with the constant worry of a breakdown (leak, air bubble, heat causing the fluid to...). My bike mechanic tells me it’s impossible to switch them out for V-brakes.
What do you all think? Am I taking a big risk continuing (alone) with these brakes? Thanks in advance for your great tips!
First post here to share a quick recap of our west-to-east bike trip along Algeria’s coast in January 2025.
It was just the two of us—my partner and I—with French passports and not a word of Arabic. No friends or welcoming hosts in the country.
Under those conditions, we’d strongly advise against going.
Our original plan was to follow the coast from Algiers to Tunis. We ended up cycling from Algiers to Béjaia, then took the train from Béjaia to Annaba (with a stop in Constantine), and finally biked to the border.
We were tailed by police the whole way—whether on our bikes, on the train, or even on foot while exploring towns. On top of that, we couldn’t wild camp and were limited to the few state-approved hotels that accept foreigners. Under those circumstances, connecting with locals was especially tough.
With such an omnipresent and intrusive police presence, we’d definitely recommend against this destination for bike touring. A really sad situation that completely cuts you off from the local population...
We’d been warned, we went to check it out, and we weren’t disappointed!
Hi there,
I’m planning the route to cycle from Lille to Nordkapp with my partner.
Duration: 3 months, from May 1st to July 31st, 2026.
In the attached details below, I need to add some "non-riding" days (rest days, basically).
So I’m looking to "shorten" the trip by taking ferries or trains for some stretches. Which areas could I skip?
Thanks in advance for your great tips.
Have a good evening.
https://www.komoot.com/fr-fr/collection/4023980/-lille-cap-nord-1er-mai-au-31-juillet-2026?ref=collection
I’m planning to bike back from Poland this summer. Does anyone know a way to ship it there without having to take it apart? Otherwise, it’s a real hassle to fine-tune all the settings before departure!
Thanks in advance.
Hi, has anyone recently bought Primus or Butagaz gas, possibly puncture-style, in Dubrovnik or the surrounding area? Same question for Albania... thanks. aichatou
Just a few words about the loop I did by bike in Yunnan.
Entry and exit
I entered China through the Sino-Vietnamese border crossing at Lào Cai / Hekou under the 30-day visa exemption currently available to French nationals and others.
The process was simple and quick. A Chinese police officer even helped me complete my electronic pre-registration at a computer kiosk. I wasn’t aware this formality was required—it’s similar to Thailand’s TM6.
No issues with the bike.
I left the country via the Sino-Laotian border crossing at Mohan / Boten.
The atmosphere was a bit chaotic there, but again, no problems with the bike.
The timing
I visited Yunnan in February 2026.
Weather-wise, at higher altitudes (between 1,500 and 2,000 meters), it was around ten degrees at night and in the mornings, and around twenty degrees at the hottest part of the day.
I had two days of rain, so I took the bus to keep moving. Otherwise, clear blue skies.
Culturally, Chinese New Year fell on February 17th (and the 15 days following), right in the middle of my trip. Because of this, my take on the traffic might be off.
Accommodation and food
I always found a hotel to stay in for prices ranging from 8 to 15 €. Except in Kunming (the capital), where many hotels were fully booked (Chinese New Year). I ended up at a 100 € hotel with great value for money.
A bowl of noodles costs about 1.5 € on average.
Onboard electronics
Since my smartphone doesn’t support eSIMs, I subscribed to a China plan with my carrier. Otherwise, for much cheaper, Alipay offers eSIMs for foreigners that allow access to services usually blocked for Chinese users (WhatsApp, Facebook, etc.).
An internet connection is essential for paying with Alipay or WeChat, as this payment method is widespread.
I only managed to use Alipay.
Either way, always carry cash because sometimes there’s no signal, or the merchant only accepts WeChat.
Also, it’s best to bring a power adapter when you arrive rather than struggling to find one.
Traffic and roads
The Chinese aren’t reckless drivers. They follow traffic rules and watch out for cyclists. This is slightly less true in Xishuangbanna (the region bordering Myanmar and Laos).
In urban areas, there are almost always wide bike lanes, separated from other roads, where bikes, electric mini-scooters, and scooters share the space pretty harmoniously.
The roads are in great condition, and traffic is generally manageable—even light—except for one stretch (Eshan -> Yangwu).
Most traffic is absorbed by expressways, China’s equivalent of highways: toll roads that are off-limits to slow vehicles.
You’re never far from these expressways; sometimes you even ride alongside them, which can be noisy at times.
The climbs are usually reasonable, around 5% to 6%. From what I remember, the steepest section was between Menglun and Mengla, with gradients of 8% to 10%, sometimes more.
Riding at these altitudes—though modest—took a bit of getting used to.
The route
I didn’t plan anything in advance. My only goal was to reach Kunming. I don’t know why, but just hearing the name of that city, like Yunnan, always felt dreamy to me.
Hi! I’m planning to visit the Stockholm Archipelago by bike in early April.
Do you know if the boats will be running between the different islands at that time of year? For those who’ve already been, all your tips and recommendations are welcome—accommodation, etc. Also, do you know where I can rent a bike in Stockholm? Thanks so much in advance for your help!
Hello there, pedal-powered Young Boys!
Claudio (still from Faverges)
dreaming about a cycling getaway in Italy from Faverges (train all the way to Turin)
from Turin down to Venice along the Po River and back via the Padana (Alta Italia da attraversare – Northern Italy to cross)
The tricky part is getting from Chioggia to Venice.
I read it’s possible by hopping on a boat from island to island,
but it sounds a bit stressful.
Has anyone already tackled this route?
